Where We Stand
by Ethereal Wishes
Summary: He watched her from the shadows, hoping to get a glimpse of her face to ease his loneliness. He felt his heart break as he watched her kiss another man. Will Rumplestiltskin ever win his wife back and just where do they stand now? [Scarlet Beauty with eventual Rumbelle and Scarlet Queen.]
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

**A/AN: **So I'm not happy about the Scarlet Beauty kiss at all! This is my take on HOW this could turn out. I will be updating this weekly. This is going to end with Rumbelle because THAT'S HOW IT'S GOING TO BE DARN IT! Anyway enjoy the first chapter.

Belle had been going through the inventory when Will Scarlet walked in with two steaming cups of coffee. This had become their morning ritual over the past two weeks. He would come in, and they would have a nice chat and then he would go off to help the Merry Men with lumber-jacking. They had picked up the trade of selling wild game to the people of Storybrooke and wood to keep their fires burning during the harsh winter.

They had met under awkward circumstances when she'd found him passed out drunk in the library, clutching a picture of the Red Queen to his chest from the classic tale "Alice in Wonderland". She had discovered weeks later during one of their more serious talks that Anastasia had reverted to the dark side and banished him from Wonderland when he tried to reason with her.

They had found mutual comfort in losing their "true" loves. She had lost her true love to the darkness just as Will had. She had banished Rumple for the sake of Storybrooke. He was very much still alive, but she knew he would never return.

Belle felt her mood darken after dealing with the Cruella and Ursula. She loathed those two for trying to harm her, and she didn't trust them as far as she could throw them. They had taken a box from the shop with who knows what in it. She hoped the town didn't explode, but she wouldn't be surprised if it did.

She was about to close up the shop when she heard the bell ding, signaling a customer. "Hey I was just about to close up...What do you need?" she inquired, reaching up on the shelf to retrieve something.

"Oh the pleasure of your company will do perhaps." the stranger spoke, and she couldn't help but smile as she turned around to face the knave.

"What brings you back to the shop Will?" Belle asked curiously, putting the concoction she'd retrieved on the counter.

"I just wanted to see you." he shrugged, averting his gaze shyly. He shuffled his feet, standing by the window.

"You wanted to see me? You just saw me this morning..." she remarked, walking around the counter to join him.

"Seeing you this morning was nice, but I'm here for an entirely different reason tonight..." he added, causing her to raise a brow.

"And what reason would that be?" she probed, etching closer to him. She bit her lip nervously as her heart began to thud heavily in her chest. She usually didn't get these reactions from other men, but Will was just so sweet. He listened to her talk about all her favorite books, and he seemed to fill the aching loneliness in her heart just a bit.

"I wanted to ask you out on a date...I understand if you're not ready or if you don't want to go out or if you-" but Belle cut him off, holding up one finger in the air.

"I would love to go out with you..." she smiled leaning in closer to him. The visitation from the Queen's made her feel vulnerable, especially after mentioning Rumple. It was probably selfish of her, but she wanted to forget him, and in that moment Will was helping her do that. She threw all rationality to the wind when their lips met, forgetting all of her heartbreak for the moment. She was unaware of the man gazing at her ardently from the shadows, his heart breaking as the scene unfolded in front of him.

Rumplestiltskin stammered back when he watched his wife touch the lips of a man he didn't recognize. Had he meant anything to her at all? It felt like their 'true love' had all been a sham.. He shrank further into the shadows as he watched the 'happy' couple leave hand in hand. He felt tears prickle behind his eyes when he heard her distinct musical laughter fill the night air—a symbol of hope and now betrayal. It wasn't he who had made her laugh but another man.

"I guess I'll have to find another happy ending then..." he muttered silently before magicking himself away, pure hatred churning in his heart.

**A/AN: That's all for the first part. In the next chapter Rumple will confront Belle and a confrontation will ensue. Please review!**


	2. Broken

**Chapter One**

**Broken**

**A/AN: Thank you for all the reviews/follows/favorites. If you already read the first chapter then you may want to go back and read it again. I'm now basing this story on an interview I read from A&amp;E about Will and Belle being together because their 'true loves' turned to the dark side. I'm not anti-Rumbelle in any sense. You should be able to tell that just from reading my other works. There will be some dark Rumple moments in the upcoming chapters as well, and the theme of this story is, 'Can a man who's reverted to the dark side so many times really come out of it?'.**

Belle decided to go have a drink at the Rabbit Hole with Will after locking up the shop. The night was still young and frankly she wasn't ready to go home to an empty mansion. Belle didn't mind having a drink or two every now and then. Her thoughts kept gravitating back to her encounter with Ursula and Cruella, fueling her desire for a carefree night. She strolled confidently into the bar with Will before sitting down on an empty stool.

The air was smokey, and she could hear a group of boisterous young men caught up in a game of pool. Will ordered them a couple of shots as she sat there awkwardly, hands in her lap.

"What's troubling you love?" Will inquired, squeezing her hand affectionately.

"I was just thinking about the last time I came here...I had lost all my memories, and I thought I was really some barfly named Lacey. I was a bit scantily, and I had a thing for hustling." she admitted biting her lip shyly.

"So what you're really saying is that you may have another side that most are unfamiliar with?" he probed, while eying her curiously.

"You could say that." she smiled before their drinks were set in front of them. Will threw his shot back quickly, and Belle decided to do the same. The alcohol burned her throat but it was helping her forget. That was what she wanted wasn't it? To forget all the pain and heartache she'd been exposed to over the past six weeks.

"What do you say we play a little game?" Will suggested pointing to the open pool table. Belle smirked shrugging off her jacket, "You're on Scarlet! I'll take you for all you've got!" she taunted, feeling a bit tipsy after her third shot.

"Eh we'll see about that miss. French." he laughed as they walked towards the table.

It wasn't her choice of establishments, but Belle realized that she needed to get out and try new things. She did enjoy a good game of pool, and she couldn't wait to trump Will at his own game. She hadn't been here since her "Lacey" days. Perhaps there was a bit of the barfly left inside of her and maybe she could reach inside of her and coax that hidden part of herself into playing a successful game of pool. Will handed her a pool stick, sharpening the edge with a cube of blue chalk which he handed to her after he was finished.

"You have no idea who you're dealing with Will Scarlet." Belle remarked, making a clean shot, breaking up the balls.

"Beginners luck." he shrugged, before sending a solid green ball into the left corner of the table.

"It looks like your stripes love which is fine because I don't believe solids really suit you." he winked as she sent a orange striped ball into the center pocket.

"Maybe you are a pool player after all miss. French. " he said smoothly intrigued by her clean aim.

"I've played a few games in my life…" Belle shrugged waiting for him to make the next shot. She watched him send a yellow ball into the hole.

"I can see that." he smirked as he stood back, awaiting her next shot.

They continued playing in companionable silence until he accidentally missed his last shot making her the winner of the game. "How about another?" Will offered, and she nodded as he set the balls back up.

Three games later, and she had won two and he one. She felt at ease around Will. He seemed like a decent guy, and he didn't treat her any differently just because she was once married to Rumplestiltskin. She scanned the bar, noticing that most of the crowd had dispersed. It was getting rather late by Storybrooke standards.

"I think it's almost closing time." Belle said hazily, feeling her buzz beginning to wear off, leaving a lingering drowsiness in its place.

"I can walk you home." he offered, and she smiled taking his hand. They walked out of the bar laughing and conversing about their game.

"You did beat me at two out of three rounds of pool. What do I owe you Ms. French?" he inquired, stopping to stand under the streetlight. She blushed when he placed an erratic curl behind her ear.

"How about a real date this time?" she suggested, fingering his leather jacket. He pulled her closer giving her a half lidded gaze. He looked into her eyes the same way he did in the shop just before they'd kissed.

"What sort of establishment would please you love? Granny's? The Enchanted Rose? A picnic under the stars?" he asked causing her eyes to brighten at his last suggestion.

"A picnic under the stars sounds romantic...It makes me wonder just what your intentions with me are Mr. Scarlet." Belle said, batting her eyelashes playfully.

"Well in this moment I was thinking of kissing you again." he uttered softly before closing the gap between them. They kissed for the second time in one night and it should have been perfect except she'd been thinking of Rumple the entire time, the alcohol thawing her mind.

"It sounds perfect then." she smiled half heartily once the kiss ended. He walked her home, bidding her goodnight. Belle took out her key and jammed it in the lock, opening the door. She flipped on the light in the foyer, locking the door behind her. She sighed in relief after kicking off her red high heels.

She walked into the kitchen and opened the cabinet, procuring an empty glass. She turned on the faucet and took a long drink but almost spit it out when she heard a distinct voice behind her.

"How was your date dearie?" it spoke ominously, and she swore it had to be the after effects of the alcohol. She had banished him! She felt gooseflesh as she turned around to face the man she'd forced over the town line all those weeks ago.

"Rumple...That's impossible...How did you-" she stepped backwards, as he approached her, a look of pure loathing in his eyes.

"Get back to Storybrooke? Oh, I have my ways. Let's just say that I tracked down some old friends who's interests just happened to correlate with mine." he smirked, etching closer to her. She found herself pinned against the counter with just inches between them.

She could feel his hot breath on her neck, fueling her desire for something she hadn't craved in six weeks. She swallowed hard, afraid of what he might do to her. They gazed into each others eyes for what might have been seconds or hours. It was like time had stopped for them in that moment. There was something unreadable behind his eyes. She was afraid yet intrigued by him all over again—just like the day he'd taken her from Avonlea.

She shuddered when she felt his fingertips dust her jawline. It amazed her how one light touch of his could elicit desires within her that no one else could—including the kiss she'd shared with Will Scarlet earlier.

"I should pull your heart from your chest and crush it, but I can't...I've cursed your name countless times and tried to hate you but my heart won't let me. You're all it wants." he respired, their lips just inches apart.

Belle could feel her heart thrumming in her ears. She wanted to push him away and run a thousand miles from here, but she stood frozen in place. She very well knew that she couldn't run from Rumplestiltskin. He had magic, and he would have her within his clutches in a matter of seconds.

"What is it that you want from me?" she spoke unevenly, her voice quaking with fear.

"I want you to hate me...to end my wretched existence. There's no way I can go on with my life without you in it. I need you to tell me how much you loathe me, then I'll be assured that I was right all those years ago about being unlovable. I can't afford to hear your sweet voice or feel your tender touch and the one thing I can't afford more than that is watching you fall into the arms of another man. Crush my heart because you're all I'm living for. I fought my way back into Storybrooke to tell you these things. My heart is a slave to you and the only way to free it is by crushing it. You'll be a real hero then Belle." he admitted, her heart breaking with every syllable.

Belle watched him thrust his hand into his chest and pull out the blackest heart she'd ever seen. He held it out for her to see. She took it hesitantly, turning it over and over in her hands, examining it. The amount of darkness in his heart wasn't what surprised her, it was the thin pinprick of red light shining through. She gazed at the light, feeling ashamed by her actions.

"What is this light?" she inquired, running her fingers over it gingerly.

"That's you Belle...You're the flicker of light amongst my ocean of darkness." he whispered, placing his hand on top of hers. She clasped his hand over the heart she knew was beating just for her.

"I'm so sorry Rumple, but I can't trust you anymore. You're no good for me. I've realized that you're only going to continue down this path of darkness, and I won't watch you destroy yourself. I can't bear it. " she whispered as she thrust the heart back into his hand, tears streaming down her face.

"My power is my weakness, but you are my strength. I was afraid of being controlled by the dagger again so that's why I wanted to leave Storybrooke. I wanted to keep my power but the only way I could do that was by using the hat to get what I wanted." he pleaded with her, and she sighed pulling away, shaking her head sorrowfully.

"You're still a man who makes wrong choices, and I think it's best if we never see each other again. Please leave." she commanded, swallowing hard, her heart filled with regret as soon as she spoke those words.

"I am and that's why I need you to keep steering me away from the darkness. I'll never be completely good because I'm too tarnished, but Belle you've always brought out the best in me. I'll never truly be a hero, but I know with you in my life that I'll never fully be a villain either. I need you Belle." he confessed reaching out to her once more, trying to convince her that she was the only thing keeping him from fully succumbing to the darkness.

"JUST GO! I never want to see you again!" she bellowed loudly. Rumplestiltskin stammered back at the velocity of her words. She truly didn't love him did she? He had truly lost everything it seemed.

"As you wish..." he whispered softly before magicking out of the kitchen. Belle felt her whole body tremble as she fell to the floor in a sobbing heap. The glass she was holding shattered into a hundred pieces, a symbol of what once was their true love.

**A/AN: WHY BELLE!? How can you keep hurting Rumple like that? I'm sorry for all the feels. If you choose to continue with me, then I do promise a happy ending. Please review...**


	3. Assumptions

**Chapter Two**

**Assumptions**

**A/AN: I just want to say thank you for all your amazing support this story is getting! I Want this story to be Rumbelle centric so I really won't be going into the other character's arcs like with Regina and the book, The Charming's 'big' secret, etc. These characters will be mentioned from time to time but this is a Rumbelle story. They are my central couple.**

Belle awoke the next morning, the events of the previous night blurring together. She remembered seeing Rumple. He showed her his heart—placed it in her very hands and then she'd told him that she never wanted to see him again. She felt a dull ache in her head when she tried to get out of bed. She laid back down immediately, feeling nauseated at the slightest amount of movement.

"I can't stay in bed all day...I need to open the library..." she mumbled throwing her feet over the side of the bed. She rubbed her temples and felt her vision begin to blur. She hadn't had that much to drink to feel this sick. She had no time to react when the wave of sickness assaulted her. She ran to the bathroom, bowing over the commode, and emptying the contents of her stomach. She did this three more times until she was dry heaving.

She felt like she'd put on a hundred pounds as she made her way to the bathroom sink. She washed her mouth out with water and splashed some on her face. She threw her hair up in a messy bun and decided to go back to bed. She knew she needed to call someone. She couldn't very well keep this bottled up. The Charmings were trying to apprehend the Queen's of Darkness and frankly she didn't trust them. Calling Will was out of the question. They had just gotten acquainted and frankly she wasn't sure if she should be spilling her woes about her ex-husband just yet, though she was concerned for his safety.

Belle smiled when she thought of the one person who would listen and wouldn't be quick to judge. She swallowed hard, dialing the wolf girl's number. It rang and went straight to voice mail. She sighed throwing the phone across the bed. She collapsed on top of the covers, too overwhelmed to pull them back, falling into a dreamless sleep.

_~X~_

When Belle hadn't answered the phone after her seventh phone call, and there was no sign of her at the pawn shop or the library, Ruby went looking for her. She knocked heavily on the mansion door waiting for the beauty to answer, but she got no response. She growled lowly, trying to remember where her friend left the spare key. Ruby plucked the key from its hiding space and jammed it in the lock. The house was quiet.

Ruby walked into the kitchen, startled when she seen shards of broken glass scattered across the floor. She walked out of the kitchen and proceeded to the stairs, "Belle!" she called out but got no answer. She decided to walk up the stairs. She stopped by the bedroom door and knocked lightly. When she got no answer, she pushed open the door.

She was huddled up under thick covers, indicating she must be freezing. She walked towards her friend who was snoring faintly. She touched her forehead noting she was slightly feverish. The beauty moaned in her sleep.

"_Rumple…Rumple…You can't stay here…You're no good for me." _she muttered causing Ruby to step back as her best friend's gaze contorted painfully.

"_You need to go away and never come back…leave Storybrooke…never come back." she mumbled, tears streaming down her face. _

Ruby shook Belle gently waking her up from her dream. Belle stared at her with wide eyes before setting up on the couch. "Did I oversleep?" she mumbled straightening out her t-shirt.

"Yeah but it's okay…I decided to come over and check on you when I seen you weren't at the library or the shop. You weren't returning my calls, and I got worried." Ruby supplied, brushing ringlets of curl from her eyes.

"Today has been an overly stressful for me Ruby. When I'm stressed out, I dream of the night I sent him away. You know as much as I hate to admit it I'm _still _in love with him." Belle sighed, rubbing her forehead, leaving out the details of their encounter the previous night.

"I know and it will take time to heal and one day perhaps you can move on and settle down with someone halfway normal." Ruby replied rubbing the beauty's back consolingly.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think my life is going to be _normal_ ever again." Belle sighed, leaning back against the headboard. The signs were all there. She'd wrestled with it all morning after bouts of extreme sickness.

"And why's that?" Ruby inquired sitting beside her.

"Because I think I might be pregnant…" Belle admitted, choking back a sob. Ruby grabbed her friend holding onto her tightly. She decided not to delve any further, opting to hold her instead. Belle collapsed into her friend's arms, relishing the feeling of being held.

"How long has it been?" Ruby asked after her sobs subsided briefly. Belle wiped her nose on her sleeve, "How long has what been?" she sniffled, gazing up at her friend.

"Since you..." Ruby inferenced, coughing awkwardly, averting her gaze.

"Oh..." Belle blushed slightly before continuing, "The last time was the night before I banished him..." she swallowed hard, her mind drifting towards passionate kisses and loving caresses. Her longing for such intimacy was overwhelming, but she had banished him a second time. He'd placed his heart in her hands, and she'd broken him again. She'd convinced herself it was for the best and yet they were supposed to be each others true love...

_'What's done is done..."_she mentally reminded herself before facing Ruby.

"I don't know what to do Ruby...I can barely get out of bed." she mumbled, falling back on the pillow. She held her hand in agony, feeling the sickness return. She wasn't sure if caused by her former husband or her other assumption.

"I'll run back into town, and we'll see if your suspicions are correct. Just rest." Ruby commanded before tucking the covers back over her. Belle nodded before drifting off to sleep again, pondering on all these things.

**A/AN: Sorry this was so short, but I promise that I'll do a longer one next time. I wanted to bring in Ruby because she's so under used in the show. Is Belle pregnant? If she is then what does that mean for Rumple, especially if the Queen's find out? Stay tuned, and please review!**


	4. Confirmations

**Chapter Three**

**Confirmations**

**A/AN: I'm sorry that I haven't updated, but I was trying to see where they were going with the cannon first. I now know which direction I want to take this. I hope to have this finished before the finale. Some of it won't stay on target with the cannon. **

After leaveing the mansion, Ruby made a trip to Clark's Grocery and bought every single brand of home pregnancy tests that she could find. The dwarf gave her a quizzical glance but didn't say anything as he rang up her purchases.

"Not a word of this! Do you understand!?" Ruby warned the dwarf in her most threatening voice before grabbing the bag and making her way back to the Victorian. _All Ruby needed was for someone to suspect that she was pregnant and then it would all be over. Granny would kill her._

_She parked the car, turning off the ignition. She walked up the steps to the salmon colored parsonage after shoving the keys in her pocket. She shoved open the door, walking back up the stairs._

_"Belle I'm back!" she called out before reaching her bedroom. Belle was leaning against the headboard while staring out the window aimlessly. Belle trained her eyes on the window, watching the trees blow softly._

_"I got five different kinds of tests just to be sure." Ruby supplied, setting on the edge of the bed with the bag in hand._

_"Thanks Ruby..." Belle spoke in a small voice, breaking her concentration. She took the bag from the wolf girl's hand. Ruby helped her out of bed, leading her to the bathroom. She allowed Belle to close the door, giving her some privacy._

_Belle read the directions before peeing on five of the sticks to utilize her confirmation. After a torturous minute of waiting, all five pregnancy tests confirmed her suspicions. She was going to be a __mother. __Her hands shook as she stared at the door. Ruby didn't have time to react before the beauty flung herself into her arms. She sobbed uncontrollably, and She didn't need to ask. She already knew the answer._

_X_

"Are we going to find her or stay holed up in here all day?" Ursula complained referring to the cabin the three of them were currently hiding out in.

"Patience dearie…It's going to take accurate planning if we want to succeed." Rumplestiltskin admonished leaning against his gold tipped cane.

"I thought you already had this whole thing planned out." Cruella cut in, clearly irritated by the whole endeavor.

"Yeah Rumple…This better not have been a ploy just to get you back to your old stomping ground. We're here to see the author and demand he change our fates. We're not here to mingle and piddle with enacting useless revenge on a bunch of people you betrayed." Ursula warned with a sharpened glance.

Rumplestiltskin felt his eyebrow twitch and his temper rise at their impulsiveness, but he wouldn't allow himself to crack under the pressure. He needed them as much as they needed him to make the plan work. He had to get Belle back at all costs.

"We will go free Maleficent when the town goes to sleep which should be in just a few hours. The town tends to be heavily guarded during the day, and I can't have us running into any of the _heroes. _We have to be careful." he cautioned, his gaze sharpening, silencing them from questioning him any further.

"It seems like you've gone soft Rumple...Is the Dark One really that afraid of a few so called heroes?" Ursula taunted, a smirk gracing her lips.

"She has a point darling...The all powerful Rumplestiltskin really has fallen off his pedestal." Cruella teased taking a long sip of her gin. They didn't notice his eyebrow twitch angrily until they were both being held in the air, gasping for breath. Ursula positioned her hand in the air to loosen his magic. She fell to the ground and snapped her fingers, freeing Cruella.

"Remember this Rumplestiltskin...We are not pawns in your little game. Some of us are far older and wiser than you. I know all the tricks of your trade, and I will use them against you if you threaten me again. You work for us now as far as I'm concerned." Ursula bared her teeth at him before a large tentacle wrapped around his throat.

"Good point dearie..." Rumplestiltskin choked out before she let him go causing him to fall in a heap.

"Let's go Cruella." Ursula remarked before they disappeared in a fog of emerald smoke.

_Rumplestiltskin picked himself off the ground. He pulled himself into a chair, regaining his composure, "Well I guess if you're not going to heed my warning, then I need to make sure I'm one step ahead of you." he said to himself before smoking away in a crimson haze._

_~X~_

"Are you sure this is the place darling?" Cruella inquired to her accomplice standing inside the darkened library.

"I'm certain...I can sense her magic here but there's something keeping me from her. I'm going to need your help to break it." Ursula retorted, and Cruella nodded as she took her hand. They combined their energies, breaking the barrier that was keeping Maleficent inside.

"It shouldn't be much longer now." Ursula announced proudly whisking them away to the inner dungeon she resided in. A haunting apparition cornered them hissing angrily.

"Chill out Mal...We're going to get you out of here." Ursula returned pulling an enchanted mirror from her pocket and holding it in front of Maleficent. Black smoke surrounded her, transforming her into her true form.

"It's good to have you back darling. We come bearing gifts." Cruella smirked, snapping her fingers. In an instant a staff with a dragon sitting atop it appeared.

"What a relief it is to be free of this place after being imprisoned for so long. You have no idea what I've been through dears." Maleficent lamented as she took the staff from Cruella.

"You can tell us all about it later Mal. Let's get out of here." Ursula commanded before transporting them back to the cabin.

"Where did he go!?" inquired Ursula angrily storming through the cabin.

"Where did who go?" Maleficent questioned the pair who were scanning the room puzzledly.

"Rumplestiltskin..." Ursula growled angrily, breaking an expensive vase and lamp with one of her tentacles.

"My dears we don't need Rumple's help, he would only get in the way. We are a much more powerful force without him." Maleficent grinned draping her arms around their shoulders.

_"It looks like the Queen's of Darkness are back in business." Cruella cackled, rubbing her hands together sinisterly._

_~X~_

Rumplestiltskin snarled his nose at the Evil Queen's vault. He could sense its strong magical aura emitting deep within the vault among Regina's other concoctions and enchantments. It had a distinct flavor and taste of its own-the sweetest of all magic he thought. He pushed back the barrier with a bit of grit because he was out of practice, but he knew his power would return eventually. He opened the door, scouring the halls until he found it. He smirked when he found the star patterned drum.

He hesitated before picking it up, his mind going back to the night she'd banished him. He sucked in a deep breath, squeezing the drum tightly. He never wanted it to come to this, but he needed the dagger if he was going to have any chance at a happy ending. The original plan to take Hook's heart had been dismantled, but being away in New York the past six weeks made him realize that he would need to go a different route. He cringed in pain, placing his hand over his heart. Time was running out for him, and he needed to act fast if he wanted to change his fate.

"I'm sorry Belle..." he muttered before magicking himself back to their estate. He stared at the blackened windows, illuminated by moonlight. He made sure that he arrived at the house late because he what happened next would have to be done in secret. He took a staggering breath before transporting himself inside the house.

He watched the beauty snoring softly in her trundle bed. He longed to slip in bed beside her and thread his fingers through her thick curls like old times but those times were gone. He sensed its presence immediately. He knew without a doubt that the dagger was hidden here in this room. He took a deep breath, pulling the chest that sealed the dagger from underneath her bed. He unfastened the clasp that held it shut. He picked up the heavy metal object hidden inside the cloth but when he touched the metal, he flinched back in pain. He cursed under his breath, flinging the dagger across the room. He noticed the beauty stirring from her sleep by his careless disturbance. He snapped his fingers, whisking himself away daggerless.

Belle ran her fingers through her hair warily, wiping sleep from her eyes. She turned on the bedside lamp, placing her feet on the floor. She gasped when she noticed the dagger a few feet from her bed. She picked it up, running her fingers over the worn edges. She could see a faint blood stain on the metal, reflected in the light. She trembled knowing immediately what had taken place. Rumplestiltskin had tried to steal the dagger.

There was no way she was going back to sleep knowing that Rumple had been in her room. In half an hour the sun would rise. She threw on a warm sweatshirt and track pants, including her walking shoes and made her way out the door. She needed to go for a walk.

She lived only twenty minutes from town, and she jogged briskly. Granny's would be open in half an hour, and she thought a cup of tea might refresh her. She was surprised when she noticed Will walking towards her, probably on his way to work.

"Hello hussler." Will greeted the beauty who's face lit up when she noticed his presence.

"Will! You're up rather early!" She pointed out, but he shrugged.

"I was on my way to work, but why don't we stop by the diner for a cup of coffee first?" Will explained, and Belle smiled when he offered her his arm.

"That sounds lovely." she complied causing the knave's face to light up. It would take her mind off Rumple for the time. They walked in the direction of Granny's unaware of the pair of eyes watching them.

X

Rumplestiltskin scoured every edge of his shop trying to find some sort of evidence as to why his dagger had rejected him, but he couldn't find anything. Part of him wanted to find his beloved and demand she tell him why but just as he was about to act upon those thoughts, he seen her walk by his shop and stop by the window. He watched her from the back room, taking in her frazzled appearance. She looked tired but her cheeks were still beautifully kissed by the rising sun.

She looked extremely radiant for some reason this morning, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He thought of dispelling his presence until the man he'd seen her kissing two nights ago appeared before them. She smiled at him and laughed when he said something to her just like she would at one of his old quips. He couldn't make out their conversation but he wanted to do nothing more than crush the stranger's heart when he gave the beauty a quick hug and offered her his arm which she took. He watched them pass his shop, headed in the direction of Granny's Diner as they continued to converse jubilantly. He felt his heart fall at the realization that his Belle just didn't want him anymore. If she was happy then why was he wasting his time trying to salvage his miserable existence?

"Perhaps I should have wasted away back in New York." he muttered, but he stopped himself. If there was any chance of him winning her back, then he couldn't interfere with her affairs. He had to be discreet with his plans if he wanted this to work, but he knew that in the end it was up to her whether he lived or died. She had no idea that she was the very key to his existence and if she didn't cooperate then he would surely perish. He took a staggering breath before magicking himself away again, his heart heavy with grief.

~X~

Belle sat adjacent to Will inside a booth at Granny's. She watched him shovel a syrupy bite of pancakes into his mouth. She sipped on her sweet tea opting to skip breakfast because of her weak stomach.

"So are you busy tonight?" she inquired breaking the silence. He dabbed his mouth with a napkin before speaking.

"Of course not...What did you have in mind?" he asked, and Belle could sense his eagerness.

"How would you like to come over? I could make us dinner." she encouraged, resting her chin on both hands smiling radiantly at him. He sucked in a deep breath swearing that her smile put the moon and stars to shame.

"Aye that would be lovely miss French." he smiled, and Belle felt her heart flutter at his acceptance. Tonight she would make sure that she wasn't alone. She was vulnerable, and she didn't like feeling so many emotions at once. She hadn't even dispelled her secret yet, but she would tonight. She would tell him everything.

**A/AN: As you guys can see I'm taking this a bit of a different route from the show. I had Cruella and Ursula raise Maleficent without the need of her ashes. This will be a bit AU but there will still be scenes from the show in the upcoming chapters. Review please!**


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